Bowie Living

Winter Fun in Bowie, December, 1973

2012-02-11T09:01:00.001-05:00

These pictures were most likely taken in and near the Rockledge section of Bowie in December, 1973.

Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Valentino-Smith Proposes School Funding Disclosure Legislation

2012-01-30T15:19:00.001-05:00

The following is a press release from Maryland District 23A Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:GERALDINE VALENTINO-SMITH

JANUARY 26, 2012 PHONE: 301-858-3101

E-MAIL: geraldine.valentino@house.state.md.us

VALENTINO-SMITHSEEKS TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC’S

PARTNERSHIPWITH PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

Inkeeping her pledge to strengthen the public’s partnership with the PrinceGeorge’s County Public School System, Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith hasauthored and introduced legislation requiring the Prince George’s County SchoolBoard to develop and operate a searchable web site which would allow the publicto search school funding by individual school.

Currentlyit is difficult to determine the funding for individual schools and how thefunds are spent at each school. Thebudget books are so voluminous that it is extremely difficult to extractinformation from them for each individual school. Through ongoing communications with herconstituents, the Delegate realizes that most parents don’t have time to attendlengthy School Board meetings and comb through the complex data in the budgetreports.

Withthe passage of PG 410-12Education-Prince George’s County School Board Budgets-Transparency, thepublic would be given access to important school board spending data in aclear, easy to read format.

SaysValentino-Smith, “Enactmentof this bill will enable parents, students, teachers and our county citizens toreadily and easily access information regarding how education funding is spentat the local school level. This kind of web-based information willdemonstrate a full commitment to making the public partners in our importantmission to ensure clarity and understanding for education investment andspending.”

The billhas garnered enthusiastic support from a wide range of organizations including SEIU400, ASASP, AFSCME 2250, the Prince George’s County NAACP, the African AmericanDemocratic Club of Prince George’s County, People for Change of Prince George’sCounty and PGCMA.

The billis currently up for discussion in the Prince George’s County Delegation andwill be voted on in the coming weeks.

Jersey Mike's Subs coming to Hilltop Plaza

2012-01-22T09:22:00.001-05:00

Jersey Mike's Subs is coming to Hilltop Plaza in Bowie (between Papa John's and Chesapeake Grill). There is no word on the opening date, but it doesn't look like it will be soon. Jersey Mike's Subs started out as Mike's Subs in 1956 on the Jersey Shore in Point Pleasant long before anyone ever heard of Snooki, Pauly D or The Situation. The restaurant eventually changed its name, and it now has a franchise business with 500 locations opened or planned. The Jersey Mike's web site describes their subs as follows:

Today, the authentic taste – served Mike's Way™ with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices – is available nationwide. Our secret? Everything about Jersey Mike’s is high quality. Our certified Angus Beef top rounds are trimmed and cooked right in the store. Our meats and cheeses are all top-quality premium brands. Our bread is fresh-baked each day on the premises. And of course, everything’s prepared right in front of you. It’s what makes Jersey Mike’s the most authentic tasting submarine sandwich available. And it’s a tradition of quality we’ll never outgrow.

Whitehall Elementary Achieves Blue Ribbon Status

2012-01-17T18:07:00.002-05:00

Whitehall Elementary School in Bowie is one of six schools to be designated a 2012 Maryland Blue Ribbon School, and the school will compete for National Blue Ribbon School honors later this year.

“The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a national and state program that recognizes and honors elementary, middle, and high schools that exhibit high performance and/or significant improvement in student achievement,” according to a fact sheet on the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) web site. Each year the MSDE chooses six public schools that are honored as Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools and are nominated as finalist for the National Blue Ribbon School program. The number of schools selected by each state is determined by the U.S. Department of Education based on population.

The schools designated as Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools are not guaranteed to become National Blue Ribbon Schools, but all MSDE selected schools have gone on to achieve National Blue Ribbon School honors since 2003, according to MSDE.

As a Maryland Blue Ribbon School, Whitehall Elementary School will be rewarded with a Joe Corbi’s school-wide pizza party and a “technology classroom” from SMART Technologies that includes an interactive white board and projector.

The other 2012 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools are:

Crofton Meadows Elementary School (Anne Arundel County)
Pocomoke Elementary School (Worcester County)
Rachel Carson Elementary School (Montgomery County)
Ring Factory Elementary School (Harford County)
Woodholme Elementary School (Baltimore County)

The Maryland Blue Ribbon School program does not honor private schools, although private schools are eligible for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon School program. Private school nominations for the national program should be announced later this month.

Related Links

Christmas Tree Lighting at Belair Mansion

2011-12-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

Below are pictures from the City of Bowie Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Belair Mansion on Sunday, December 4, 2011.

Click on one of the pictures to see a slide show.

Belair Mansion was lit up for the ceremony. Prior to the tree lighting, the museum hosted the 16th Annual Candlelight Open House.

The city described the evening's events as follows

Holiday History at Twilight

Belair Mansion's Sixteenth Annual Candlelight Open House will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2011 from 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Enjoy rooms from different eras - all bedecked with holiday cheer. The music of "Bedlam" will fill the air and cider and cookies will be enjoyed in the 1930's kitchen. Admission is free; donations to the Bowie Food Pantry are requested. No reservations are required.

This year, in celebration of Belair At Bowie's 50th Anniversary, the City Christmas Tree returns to Belair Mansion. Long a feature at the Mansion, before the City Hall move to Kenhill Drive, the tree has come back! Santa will visit, lights will be lit, old holiday memories will return --- and new ones will be made! Festivities begin at 7:00 p.m.

The sun room in the west wing of the mansion was set-up for the kids to meet with Santa.

The west wing of the mansion.

Nichelle Fullen and the Bowie City Council led the crowd in singing Christmas Carols. Nichelle has been doing a terrific job leading the carols for the last several years. Click here to see Nichelle's art work, and click here to see Nichelle perform America the Beautiful at a Bowie church.

The lighting of the Christmas tree

Nichelle Fullen and the City Council sing a modified version of "Here Comes Santa Claus." "Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Tulip Grove Drive..."

Click on one of the pictures to view a slide show.

Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on Tower 39

Santa and Mrs. Claus are lowered to the ground on Tower 39

Mrs. Claus

Santa Claus

Santa and Mrs. Claus enter Belair Mansion

Bedlam performed in the mansion

The volunteer firefighters were posing for a picture in front of the Christmas tree. The camera's flash made the reflective strips on their uniforms stand out.

Belair Mansion from Tulip Grove Drive. People are lined up at the door to see Santa.

Starliners record show at WETA-TV Studios - 1973/74

2011-12-03T20:46:00.001-05:00

The Bowie High School Starliners recorded a 30 minute program called "Jazz?" on WETA-TV during the 1973/74 school year. The pictures below were taken by Arnie Miles during that recording session.

The Starliners was an extracurricular jazz band sponsored by Bowie High School from 1967 through 1977. Five year Starliners member Bob O'Hara describes the band on his Web site as follows:

From 1967 through 1977, Bowie (Md.) Senior High School sponsored an extracurricular jazz band called The Starliners. The Starliners was a relatively standard big band, with 5 reeds, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, piano, bass, guitar, and drums. Often the band was augmented with additional percussion, vibes, French horns, and vocalists. At times, there were as many as 23 of us on stage. The band leader during its entire existence was Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley (USAF, retired). He was paid a salary of $1 per year by the county Board of Education.

During its life, The Starliners produced four albums, Space Chasin’, In Stereo, 12 by 3, and Bowie Straight Ahead. Sales of these albums, along with gigs 3-4 times per month, paid for the purchase of new charts, as well as for travel to jazz festivals and competitions.

A more complete set of photos from this recording session can be found on a Bowie Living Facebook photo album.

Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

Band leader Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway and Band leader Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Citrus Sale in Bowie, 1973 or 1974

2011-12-03T08:23:00.001-05:00

These are pictures from a citrus sale in Bowie, Maryland in late 1973 or early 1974. I assume that the boys in the pictures are members of the Boy Scouts.

Two boys try their sales pitch in the what looks like a Levitt colonial.

Two boys pose with a case of oranges.

Citrus Sale

Citrus Sale, Direct from Florida

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

City of Bowie trying to attract Trader Joe's?

2011-11-23T20:11:00.001-05:00

According to the Bowie Star, State Senator Doug Peters plans to file a bill with the Maryland General Assembly to allow a grocery store in Bowie to sell alcohol. The bill was initiated by Bowie City Manager David Deutsch and the City Council as a way of attracting a specialty grocery store like Trader Joe's to Bowie.

The spaces left vacant by Giant Food in Bowie Plaza and Pointer Ridge Plaza are both appropriate locations for a specialty grocery store.

Alcohol is prohibited for sale in Maryland grocery stores as a general rule, but exceptions exists, including exceptions for several stores in Prince George's County.

Trader Joe's said that opening a store in Bowie is not in their two year plan. Trader Joe's does not currently have a store in Prince George's County.

The Bowie Star article is not yet posted on-line, so you'll have to grab the paper from your driveway to read the article (Bowie pursues liquor license for specialty grocery story, Bowie Star, Thursday, November 24, 2011).

House Explosion in Pointer Ridge, January, 1974

2011-11-20T19:07:00.001-05:00

A house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded around noon on Sunday, January 20, 1974. The house was destroyed, but all eight occupants miraculously survived. According to the Washington Post, three nearby homes suffered serious damage, and nearly 30 homes suffered some damage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the blast was heard twelve miles away.

The cause of the blast was traced to a leaking propane tank. A resident in the home was running an auto body shop from the house's garage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the garage contained propane tanks, acetylene gas, gasoline and welding equipment.

The home was being rented at the time of the explosion.

Police recovered what they believed to be drugs from the scene, including 15 pounds of marijuana, hashish, LSD and amphetamines.

Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

The rubble left after the house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded.

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court. Note the helicopter in the background. Some victims from the explosion were airlifted to local hospitals.

902 Placid Court

According to the Washington Post, three other houses were seriously damaged from the blast, and about 30 houses suffered some damage. No one was home at this colonial next door to the explosion.

904 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

Officials check for natural gas leaks before cause of the blast was determined.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Artisan Sweet Shop to Open in Bowie Plaza

2011-10-27T03:28:00.006-04:00

Cookies, gourmet cupcakes, tarts and more will be available when The Cake Courtesan opens in Bowie Plaza in January. Owner and former Bowie resident Sharon White will open her shop in the location formerly occupied by the Home Plate Restaurant (next to Subway).

The Cake Courtesan is currently an Annapolis based custom cake boutique that makes wedding cakes and other celebration cakes. White also owns Nostalgia Cupcakes, a gourmet cupcake retail outlet on Main Street in Annapolis. The Bowie location will offer a combination of cakes, cupcakes and other sweets. The cupcakes will be sold under the Nostalgia Cupcakes name, and White plans to close the Nostalgia Cupcakes Annapolis location.

Here's how Sharon White describes the new new store in her own words.

The Cake Courtesan will be opening in January and will be a full service artisan sweet shop. We will be offering cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, tarts, cake truffles, etc and will be available as a retail store with walk in hours. We will offer customized fondant design occasion and 3-D cakes by special order only. We will also offer cupcakes via Nostalgia Cupcakes, which will be closing out of Annapolis this winter.

Our focus is to bring high end designer styles and exotic cake flavors to Bowie and Prince George's County. All of our products are made from scratch and we use high quality ingredients. Our motto is No Shortenings, No Mixes, No Imitations, No Shortcuts. Ever.

I chose Bowie because I used to be a Bowie resident and have always loved It. I owned a home in Highbridge Park and always wanted to come back. I think the Bowie demographic deserves cupcakes and designer cakes! So, I'm excited to be opening, and I hope that Bowie is excited to have me!

The Cake Courtesan's new location in Bowie Plaza next to Subway

Links

View Larger Map

Snowstorm in Bowie, January or February, 1974

2011-08-27T06:52:00.006-04:00

Hear are pictures in the aftermath of a small snowstorm in Bowie in January or February, 1974. Click each picture to see a larger image.

About 7 1/2 inches of snow.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Magnitude 5.8 Earthquake Shakes Bowie

2011-08-23T16:03:00.017-04:00

Buildings shook, pictures fell off walls, and items fell off shelves in Bowie today as a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook the city. The quake was centered about 100 miles away in Mineral, Virginia. There are no reports of any major damage in the city at this time, although Prince George's County Police have reported multiple incidents of structural damage to buildings, including one in Oxon Hill, one in National Harbor and a Target store in Forestville.

The City of Bowie sent employees home early, and closed city buildings.

Prince George's County Schools canceled Tuesday evening activities , and canceled Wednesday classes. Thirty-two public schools in the county remained closed on Thursday, including Bowie's Yorktown Elementary School.

A 3.6 magnitude quake centered in Gaithersburg, MD shook the city a little over a year ago on July 16, 2010.

Click here for the USGS information on the quake, and click here for a USGS list of recent earthquakes.

UPDATE

The following aftershocks have occurred:

Click on image for larger image

Share your Bowie Memories!

2011-08-23T15:30:00.003-04:00

The City of Bowie is encouraging current and former Bowie residents to come and share their Bowie memories in an informal setting on Wednesday, August 24th from 10am to noon at the Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Drive in Bowie. Refreshments will be served.

Bowie's Historic Property Manager, Pam Williams, will be on hand to facilitate the discussion. The city has created a historical timeline of events, and participants are encouraged to fill in any gaps. A sign-up sheet will also be available for people interested in being interviewed for an oral history of Bowie.

Click here for more information.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

View Larger Map

Railroad Inn's Brother Conway Passes

2011-08-21T08:05:00.011-04:00

Arthur "Brother" Conway, owner of the shuttered Railroad Inn, passed away on Thursday, August 18th, 2011. Click here to see the death notice, calling hours and funeral details in the Washington Post. Click here to view or sign the guest book on the Robert E. Evans Funeral Home site.

Below is a collection of memories of Brother Conway and the Railroad Inn from the Bowie Blade-News.

After 56 years, Old Bowie's Railroad Inn closes, Bowie Blade-News, July 6, 2006. You'll notice in this article that Brother Conway isn't quoted. I've heard that he generally disliked talking to the media.

Take a dip into Railroad Inn famous pizza, bleu cheese, Bowie Blade-News, January 25, 2007.

Readers' views, Bowie Blade-News, July 13, 2006.

Brother Conway

This is not a letter about politics, high gas prices or increases in electricity. This is about the passage of time and many memories of the robust gray-haired guy with a twinkle in his eye - Brother Conway - the owner of Railroad Inn.

When visiting Railroad Inn, children were always welcome, you were greeted with a big smile and escorted to a table in this family eating place. A recent Blade-News obit for Thelma Ameling, a longtime Bowie resident, highlighted her enjoyment of weekly dinners with friends at Railroad Inn.

Twenty years ago when our daughter got married, pizza was on the menu for her bridal luncheon. When our kids and their families return to town, Railroad Inn pizza was always on the list of do's. One pair of grandkids was convinced that Santa ate there and took a long route to the exit to avoid him. We have been regulars along with others for years. After dinner we sat back and my husband enjoyed a beer while Brother and I had coffee and solved worldly problems.

Railroad Inn along with our favorite "maitre-dooo" will be missed.

You can always visit the Brother's Railroad Inn at Independence, Kan.

LYLE & PAT VERBEEK
Glenn Dale

Bear's last call

On June 30, after 56 years of continuous service to the community, the Railroad Inn gave last call and closed its doors.

The family-owned restaurant has served generation after generation of Bowieites its famous pizza. It has been the meeting place for birthdays and weddings and funerals for almost as long as I've been alive and that is no small feat.

My name is Bear and I've tended bar there since 1977. Some of you might know me. I have been standing behind that bar since I was 28 years old; turned 30 behind it, then 40, 50 and seven more years to boot. I grew up there and it has been a part of my life for more than half of it. I've laughed and cried and flirted and socialized with people. Mostly, though, I opened beers for them and poured drinks and sold pints of liquor. If I told all the stories I knew, I'd have to leave town.

Don't worry, however, the secrets are safe with me. That is what a good bartender does. I just want to take this opportunity to thank each and every person I ever waited on or worked with in that old joint. Drive safely and be well. It's been a real pleasure having known each and every one of you. This chapter is closed and life in the "Smoke Laden Room" is gone but not the memories and good feelings I have about the good people of Bowie. I'll be around and we will see each other again, I hope. In the meantime, here's to ya.

BARRY HARRIS
Bowie

Aunt Agatha on Politics, Bowie Blade-News July 13, 2006

Oh dear, the end of an era: The Railroad Inn has shut its doors in Old Bowie. Now that's a loss!

Auntie remembers the fare at Brother Conway's establishment with fondness. It was basic, reasonably priced food served with a smile (well, not by Brother, who was as cheerful as a winter blizzard) by the personable waitresses.

Not too many newcomers to Bowie will know about the eatery since Brother never advertised, refused all requests for interviews and had no signs pointing the way to the inn hidden behind a bank and adjacent to the railroad tracks.

But we old-timers will miss it. Auntie wishes Brother the best of luck in his leisure days.

Elevation Burger Coming to the Bowie Area

2011-08-20T17:28:00.006-04:00

Elevation Burger is opening a Bowie area restaurant in the Vista Gardens Marketplace (Martin Luther King Jr Highway at the intersection of Routes 450 and 704). The organic burger joint will open in about five weeks (near the end of September) in the group of stores across from Home Depot (near Chipolte, Quiznos and Ledo's). Elevation Burger touts their burgers as 100% USDA certified organic, from 100% grass fed cows, 100% free range beef and the beef is ground in the same location where the burgers are sold. They also have fresh cut fries cooked in olilve oil with no trans or saturated fats. My family visited the Hyattsville location on Route 1 today. The burgers and fries were very good. The manager came by to see if we needed anything. He said that he recognized that we were new customers, and he asked us to let him know if there is any suggestions that we had for the restaurant. It was a very nice experience. Visit the Elevation Burger web site for more info: http://www.elevationburger.com/ (the Hyattsville location is pictured here).

We took some time to check out some of "downtown" Hyattsville when we visited the restaurant. The Elevation Burger opened in April, 2011 in a new building that houses a Chipolte and a Tara Thai restaurant (opening soon). There's also a frozen yogurt store around the corner, the Hyattsville Arts District across the street, and a lot of new development nearby. It's a blend of old and new.

Elevation Burger in Hyattsville

Hyattsville Arts District

Townhouses under Construction in Hyattsville

The former Lustine Chevrolet building is now the Lustine Center with an art gallery and a gym

Your wife is hot!

2011-08-20T17:10:00.002-04:00

Did you see this Belair Engineering ad on Patch?

Bang Bang Mongolian Grill Coming to Bowie

2011-08-20T16:55:00.006-04:00

A Mongolian grill/stir-fry all-you-can-eat restaurant is coming to the former Pomogrille location in the Free State Shopping Center. The BangBang Mongolian Grill has plans to open six restaurants in Maryland, and the first two will open this fall in Bowie and in Baltimore's Canton neighborhood. According to the Washington Business Journal, there are a handful of restaurants offering similar fare ...in the D.C. region, but BangBang plans to differentiate itself by providing fast service and only healthy options (no fried food). Customers pick their own food on a buffet-style "makeline," and then the food is stir-fried on a grill. Separate grills are used for customers with food allergies. The first BangBang opened in West Des Moines, Iowa in 2010. It looks like the Maryland locations will be the first BangBang restaurants outside of Iowa. On-line reviews of the West Des Moines BangBang are mixed. For more information, see the restaurant's web site: http://bangbangmongoliangrill.com/

UPDATE: As of December, 2011, Bang Bang Mongolian Grille estimates the opening date to be late February, 2012.

Remembering Pete O'Malley

2011-06-03T14:40:00.006-04:00

Peter F. O'Malley passed away last Saturday. In earlier times, his death would have received the attention of the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun and many of the local papers, but there may be few people left at those papers that recall the inner-workings of Prince George's County politics in the 70s and 80s.

Washington Post sportswriter John Feinstein did write about O’Malley in a blog post this week. Feinstein covered politics in the county before he switched to sports. Sports coverage, not politics, is where Feinstein belonged, according to O’Malley.

Feinstein covered two stories in his blog post, so you’ll have to scroll down to see Feinstein’s comments about the passing of O’Malley.

Related Links

Belair National Bank Opens at Bowie Plaza, Fall, 1973

2011-05-01T08:39:00.005-04:00

Belair National Bank opens at Bowie Plaza in the fall of 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Belair National Bank occupied a spot in a building at the end of the Bowie Plaza parking lot near the present day post office.

This picture looks like it was taken by accident. In the background are Route 197, Brady's Citgo and some of the houses on Whiston Court.

Here is a more recent picture of the former Belair National Bank location. The neighborhood bank is now a check cashing business, and Bowie Plaza suffers from a high vacancy rate. Two years ago this building was fully occupied with a Starbucks and a Jackson-Hewitt office.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Samuel Ogle Junior High Concert Band, Fall, 1973

2011-04-24T22:02:00.004-04:00

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Three Year-Old Bowie Resident Arrested after Burglary Spree

2011-04-01T07:00:00.006-04:00

A joint investigation between the Bowie and Prince George's County police departments into a rash of recent burglaries resulted in the apprehension of the youngest suspect ever to be arrested in the county. A three year-old boy was detained by police on Thursday after detectives working a stakeout in Bowie's Whitehall section observed the preschooler exiting a house through a "doggy door" with stolen goods.

"When the detectives brought this kid back to the station, I was like, you've got to be kidding!" said recently appointed Bowie Police Chief John Nesky. "I thought these guys were pulling a prank, but after viewing the surveillance video, I realized that this was no joke. Law enforcement has seen a trend in recent years where younger and younger people are being arrested for burglaries and even armed robberies, but this one goes beyond the beyonds."

Once the suspect was in custody, it didn't take investigators long to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The boy would sneak out of his house each afternoon after his elderly babysitter fell asleep during nap time. "I play Swiper the Fox," the boy told detectives - an apparent reference to a sneaky thief on the Nickelodeon cable television show Dora the Explorer. Police recovered jewelry, watches and a large stash of candy in the boy's bedroom closet.

According to a spokesperson for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office, the boy has been released to the custody of his parents, and no charges will be filed. "Police officers had a talk with the boy," the official said, "and they gave him a stern message: no swiping."

Oktoberfest at the Bowie Race Track, 1973

2011-03-27T06:36:00.026-04:00

Oktoberfest at the Bowie Race Track, October, 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Oktoberfest. Tischer Volkswagen of Laurel had a German engineered Beetle on display

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway at the microphone, Maryland Senator Ed Conroy to the right of Conway and Bowie City Councilman Bill Wildman on the far right

Jim Conway, Ed Conroy and Bill Wildman

Jim Conway and Ed Conroy

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway being escorted

It was good to be Bowie Mayor Jim Conway during Oktoberfest

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway being kissed. Bowie City Councilmen Dick Bulman and Bill Wildman are on the right.

Louie Goldstein on the left. Bowie Mayor Jim Conway is second from the right.

Kegs of beer delivered via horse drawn beer wagon by National Brewing Company. Perhaps some Natty Boh?

Al Karwacki (left), Prince George's County Councilman Frank Francois (center)

Kiss Me I'm German

Inside the Bowie Race Track

I wasn't sure if the following set of pictures were part of Oktoberfest, but they were taken at the Bowie Race Track during the same time period, and there appears to be a guy dressed in German garb in the background of the first photo.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Golfing in Bowie, Spring, 1974

2011-03-25T05:45:00.007-04:00

These pictures appear to show the Bowie High golf team at the Bowie Golf & Country Club in the spring of 1974.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

A car can be seen in the background driving South on Route 197. Rockledge Elementary School and part of the Rockledge section can also be seen. The house on the left is still on Route 197 today, but it's easy to miss when driving by. The Heartfield Assisted Living building might have been partially visible in this photo if it had existed in 1974.

You can't photograph teenagers without someone flipping you the bird. The houses in the background are probably in either the Rockledge or Whitehall section.

This guy is teeing off right next to Route 197.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Bowie High Sports Award Banquet, March, 1974

2011-03-20T08:03:00.009-04:00

Below are pictures from a Bowie High Sports award banquet held in March, 1974 at the Bowie Elks Lodge in Crofton. I don't have names of the people in each picture, but the pictures show the following athletes listed on the "Hall of Fame."

Robert Cashwell
Maxine Eggleston
Dave Phillips
Bill Franklin
Kevin Castner
Mike Hungerford
Gene Bates

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Teen Club with Paul Reed Smith, March, 1974

2011-03-19T09:25:00.012-04:00

Do you remember Teen Club at Benjamin Tasker Middle School? A band featuring a young Paul Reed Smith entertained the crowd at this event in March, 1974. Click here for more information and pictures of Paul Reed Smith in 1970s Bowie.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

From left to right: Rick Breza (drums), Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals), Scott Burgett (bass), Chuck Harding (vocals), Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Connie Caffey (vocals), Paul Reed Smith (guitar)

From left to right: Rick Breza (drums), Scott Burgett (bass), Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), unknown, Chuck Harding (vocals), Connie Caffey (vocals), Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals)

Left to right: Paul Reed Smith, Connie Caffey

Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney

Rick Breza

Paul Reed Smith playing a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. Notice the Rip's Liquor sticker in the background on the bottom.

Robbie McIntire making a reel-to-reel recording. I wonder if this tape is still around.

Left to right: Roger Chamberlain, Chuck Harding, Scott Burgett, Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney

Left to right: Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Paul Reed Smith (guitar), Connie Caffey (vocals)

Left to right: Chuck Harding (vocals), Connie Caffey (vocals), Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Paul Reed Smith (guitar)

Rick Breza

Left to right: Scott Burgett (bass), Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals), Chuck Harding (vocals), Paul Reed Smith (guitar), Connie Caffey (vocals)

Left-to-right: Scott Burgett (bass), Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals)

Scott Burgett (bass), Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Paul Reed Smith (guitar), Chuck Harding (vocals), Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals)

Rick Breza

Connie Caffey

Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney

Left to right: Roger Chamberlain (rhythm guitar), Paul Reed Smith (guitar)

Rick Breza

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Soccer, Summer, 1973

2011-03-16T00:09:00.007-04:00

Soccer, Summer, 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

New Carrollton, Summer, 1973

2011-03-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

The Bowie Blade covered some stories from New Carrollton. Here are some pictures of New Carrollton from the Summer of 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

A construction project near at the intersection of 85th Avenue and Route 450. The cars in the foreground are heading north on 85th Avenue. The Sheraton can be seen on the other side of Route 450. The hotel is now a Four Points by Sheraton. Click here for a Google view of this intersection.

Beckett Field in New Carrollton. Beckett Field is located at the end of 85th Avenue.

Giant Cola with the pull top.

The Ramada Inn is on the other side of the Capital Beltway. It's now a Best Western. Click here for a current Google view of the Best Western. The building under construction is the present day Radio One building. Click here for a current Google view of the Radio One building.

A guy named Boo dumping a Black Label over another guy's head.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Timeline of Bowie Schools

2011-03-13T10:35:00.009-04:00

Pam Williams at the City of Bowie Museums is looking for some help. The first thing she would like to know is the date/year that the Dutch Pantry opened in Bowie. Anybody know? The second thing she is trying to put together is the list of when each public school in Bowie opened - specifically the ones that opened in the 60s. The following link contains what I could find on the Internet. What do you remember?

High Bridge Elementary (1962)

Land ownership transferred to the Board of Education: March 15, 1961
Anonymous (see comments below) recalls the school opening in 1962.

Somerset Elementary (Fall, 1962)

Student recalls hearing announcement of Kennedy assassination over school's loudspeaker, November 22, 1963
Deb Israel Sullivan recalls two siblings attended Somerset in 1962.
Gail Winstanley recalls Somerset opening in 1962. She attended first grade that year with Mrs. Mirrors.

Kenilworth Elementary

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education from Levitt and Sons: June 19, 1962

Buckingham Elementary (1964)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education from Levitt and Sons: December 17, 1963
Maxine Cunningham was the first principal. According to Buckingham Elementary School graduate Jeff Krulik, the school opened in 1964 and closed in 1985. Click here to see Krulik interview Maxine Cunningham in 2009. The video includes footage of one of the annual Halloween parades at the school.
Buckingham Elementary Facebook page

Belair Junior High

Benjamin Tasker Middle School

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????

Foxhill Elementary (January, 1966)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????
Roger Chamberlain from Bowie High Class of '74 recalls the following:
I remember when Foxhill Elementary School opened- after Christmas break- January 1966. It was not ready in time for the 1965-66 school year, and Bowie High School had just opened. So they sent us to BHS from September-December 1965 because... they had room for us. 1st, 3rd and 5th grades went in the mornings, 2nd, 4th and 6th went in the afternoons. It was about a 4 hour school day for us.

Tulip Grove Elementary (Fall, 1964?)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????
New Belair Section, The Baltimore Sun, July 14, 1963. This article announced the opening of the Tulip Grove section. "Opening" appears to mean that the section had been designed, and orders were being taken for house to be built in the neighborhood. The article refers to the section as Tulip Grove Park. In the plan for the section is an elementary school that, according to the article, is scheduled to open in the fall of 1964. If things went according to plan, Tulip Grove Elementary school would open in the fall of 1964.

Meadowbrook Elementary (1964)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????
Steve Morris recalls the following: I moved into Bowie in May 1964 at the age of 8 years old. I would assume this may have been the first year for the school since the homes were still being built, lawns were still dirt and they were paving the streets. I can’t remember exactly who the Principal was but I remember the name’s Pasquala or maybe it was Biscontini but I think he was later at Samuel Ogle or Bowie High.. I also remember getting paddled buy the Meadowbrook principal for not doing my English homework…ahhh the good old days...
Message from anonymous (son or daughter of Meadowbrook Elementary School's first principal): Meadowbrook Elementary- First principal was George L. Pasquella. I have a newspaper clipping dated Aug. 1964 with the photo of the new school. "MEADOWBROOK SCHOOL - Located at 3501 Moylan dr., Belair, In the new section north of Rt. 450. It cost $572,850 and was equipped at an estimated cost of $57,889. The 20-room school was designed by Edwin F. Ball. George Pasquella will be the principal of this elementary school." George, my father was principal for 6 years before he was elevated to Supervisor for the elementary schools in the Bowie area.

Samuel Ogle Middle School (Fall, 1967)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education from Levitt and Sons: September 16, 1965
Anne Baldini's sister recalls attending Samuel Ogle during it's opening year in 1967-68. Anne believes that Vernon Houts was the first principal.

Chapel Forge Elementary (early 1969)

The real estate records show two properties: the school itself and an adjacent plot of land. The adjacent plot of land was transferred to the Board of Education from Levitt and Sons in 1970.
M. G., Class of 75' recalls the following: I moved into Chapel Forge in 1965. In the fall of 1966 (going into 4th grade), I was supposed to be going to Whitehall Elementary but it was not finished so I was bused to Foxhill. That lasted about 6 months, maybe? Then I went to Whitehall for the rest of 4th grade and 5th grade. But then I was redistricted into Chapel Forge but it wasn't built yet so I was bused to Rockledge. I spent the last six months of 6th grade in Chapel Forge Elementary. That would have been the first half of 1969. In the fall of 1969, I entered Samuel Ogle Junior High. I talked with my sister. She confirmed that Chapel Forge opened about half way through the school year, when she was in 4th grade and I was in 6th.

Bowie High School

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????
The back cover of the Starliner's Space Chasin' album indicates that the school was open by the fall of 1966, although that might not have been the first year.
Gail Winstanley recalls the first graduating class was 1969, although she thinks the school was open before that school year.
Roger Chamberlain from Bowie High Class of '74 recalls the following:
The high school Class of '66 was allowed to finish at DuVal so there was no graduating class from BHS in 1966- as it was just 10th and 11th grades. The first at BHS was the Class of '67.

Whitehall Elementary (late 1966)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????
Jeff Randolph recalls Whitehall Elementary opening in late 1966. He started the 1966-67 school year at High Bridge Elementary, and he was switched to Whitehall Elementary once the new school was ready.
M. G., Class of 75' recalls the following: I moved into Chapel Forge in 1965. In the fall of 1966 (going into 4th grade), I was supposed to be going to Whitehall Elementary but it was not finished so I was bused to Foxhill. That lasted about 6 months, maybe? Then I went to Whitehall for the rest of 4th grade and 5th grade. But then I was redistricted into Chapel Forge but it wasn't built yet so I was bused to Rockledge. I spent the last six months of 6th grade in Chapel Forge Elementary. That would have been the first half of 1969. In the fall of 1969, I entered Samuel Ogle Junior High.

Rockledge Elementary

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????

Yorktown Elementary

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education: ????

Heather Hills Elementary

Board of Education purchased land from Levitt and Sons for $3,500: February 9, 1965

Pointer Ridge Elementary

Board of Education purchased land from Levitt and Sons for $38,496: November 9, 1970

Northview Elementary (August 20, 2007)

Land Ownership Transferred to Board of Education from Levitt and Sons: January 21, 1975
First Day of School: August 20, 2007. See photo from Washington Post.

More Summer, 1973 Photos

2011-03-12T22:38:00.013-05:00

More Summer, 1973 Photos.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

I think this photo was taken along Route 197. If you zoom in, you can see a sign in the top right corner of this picture that says "Rockledge." I'm guessing that was the sign for Rockledge Elementary School.

It looks like the "Giant" sign is going up. I assume this is Freestate Mall. You can make out the letter "W" to the left. I'm not sure if the Woolco sign previously hung in this spot, although Woolco was still around after 1973.

Did your house look like this? Does your house look like this?

I'm not sure what neighborhood was under construction in 1973.

I'm not sure if these two photos are related to the construction photos above.

More construction photos. It looks like a goal post and a Levitt cape on the right.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Fashion Show, Free State Mall, Summer, 1973

2011-03-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

Fashion Show (I think), Free State Mall, Summer, 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Swim Meet at Belair Swim & Racquet, Summer, 1973

2011-03-08T21:27:00.010-05:00

Swim Meet at Belair Swim & Racquet, Summer, 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Have you ever seen them put scaffolding in the pool?

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Summer 1973 Photos

2011-03-05T09:05:00.003-05:00

Most of these pictures were taken during the summer of 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Belair Swim & Racquet. Audrey Scott is on the left. This photo was taken three years before she became a Bowie City Council member. According to Audrey Scott's bio, she was chair of the Board of Directors for the Bowie Health Center during this time, but I don't know if she was acting in that role when this picture was taken.

Signing up for football?

Grand Union in Hilltop Plaza. Macgruder's would later occupy this space. This is the present day location of Aldi, although Aldi doesn't occupy the same amount of space. Sherwin Williams and Fran Cine's Hair Styles are on the right.

Bowie High School in late August or early September, 1973.

Heading to Woodward Pond in Foxhill Park?

I have no info on this set of pictures.

Aerial view of the water tower in Pointer Ridge.

Pointer Ridge Plaza can be seen at the top of the photo.

Bowie High Pom Pom bake sale outside Arlans in Free State during the Arlans going-out-of-business sale.

A helicopter was needed to install new air conditioning equipment on the roof of the Bowie Race Track.

I assume this was taken at the bowling alley in Free State.

I assume this was taken at Whitemarsh.

Not Bowie High. Dematha?

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Belair Stables, May, 1973

2011-03-04T00:45:00.007-05:00

Belair Stables was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May, 1973. The black & white pictures below were taken during a ceremony at the stables when Bowie Mayor Jim Conway unveiled Belair Stables' National Register of Historic Places plaque. The color photos were taken at the Belair Stable Museum in February, 2011.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway is standing to the right of the plaque, and Bowie City Councilman Jack O'Brien is on the far right. Bowie City Councilwoman Dene Bain is standing just to the left of the plaque. I'm not sure who the two people are on the left.

Girl Scouts. Second from left is Anne Dinnan.

A portion of a large tulip poplar that came down after a lightning strike on display in the courtyard

It's not clear what became of the plaque that was erected in 1973. In this present day photo, you can see where a plaque once hung (see the wall to the right of the carriage).

It's clear from the pattern of the stones that this was the location of the plaque erected in 1973.

A less detailed plaque will be hung in the stables in the near future.

This is what remains of the section of tulip poplar that has been on display at the museum for years. It broke apart into two pieces.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Bowie High Track, May, 1973

2011-02-28T08:41:00.005-05:00

Bowie High Track, May, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Carnival, May, 1973

2011-02-27T07:50:00.002-05:00

The pictures below were taken at a carnival in May, 1973. The carnival took place in the parking lot of a shopping center that had a Giant and a Zayre department store. Was it Free State in Bowie, or is it possible that the carnival was in New Carrollton? The Bowie Blade did cover stories from surrounding communities including New Carrollton.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Note the Giant sign in the background.

Another picture with the Giant sign in the background.

The "ZAYRE" sign is visible in this night shot.

I can't make out the names of the other stores on the left.

Is there a hill like this in the back of Free State?

Note the parking lot light on the top right side of this picture.

This picture was not taken with the others. It was part of a set of pictures of a carnival in the parking lot of Free State Mall. Note the difference in the style of light between this picture and the one above it. This is what makes me think that the May, 1973 carnival was in New Carrollton.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

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Talent Show, May, 1973

2011-02-26T07:00:00.004-05:00

Talent Show, May, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Atlantis II

More cow bell!

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Whitehall Craft Fair, May, 1973

2011-02-25T06:07:00.007-05:00

Craft Fair, Whitehall Elementary School, May, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Don't waste your money, kid. It's really just a fancy Clorox bottle!

Typical 1960s era Bowie elementary school.

Note the Whitehall pennants on the left side of the table.

The mermaid on this girl's shirt looks a little like Dora the Explorer.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Cute Kids in Bowie, Summer, 1973

2011-02-24T07:03:00.009-05:00

The Bowie Blade has had its share of "cute kid" pictures over the years. Below is a set of pictures taken during the summer of 1973. It's probably safe to say that most of these pictures did not appear in the paper, although some may have.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Belair Shopping Center Event, May, 1973

2011-02-23T05:41:00.011-05:00

Belair Shopping Center Event, May, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Bean bag toss. Belair National Bank can be seen in the background.

Marty's Cards, Etc. Belair Liquor.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Foxhill Park, May, 1973

2011-02-22T08:02:00.007-05:00

Foxhill Park, May, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

An Early Paul Reed Smith Band

2011-02-21T11:30:00.018-05:00

Years before Paul Reed Smith founded what would become the country's third largest guitar manufacturer (behind Fender and Gibson), he was a member of several local bands around Bowie. Pictures from a performance of one of those bands can be seen below. The photos were probably taken in 1973 or '74.

The following are some interesting facts about Paul Reed Smith and PRS Guitars.

Smith grew up in Bowie.
Smith's father bought him a ukelulu when he was five.
Smith's first job was selling flowers next to a movie theater in Bowie.
Smith's worst job was washing dishes at the Dutch Pantry on the corner of Routes 301 and 50 in Bowie.
Smith signed up for three or four shop classes at a time while attending Bowie High.
Smith made a bass during his time at Bowie High.
Smith graduated from Bowie High in 1974.
Smith worked as a repairman for the Washington Music Center.
Smith repaired a broken Les Paul Junior owned by Joe Perry from Aerosmith.
Smith built his first guitar while attending St. Mary's College in St. Mary's City, Maryland.
Smith would hang backstage at concerts to attempt to sell his guitars to popular musicians.
Smith's first backstage sale was to Derek St. Holmes, the rhythm guitarist for Ted Nugent. St. Holmes now plays with Smith in The Paul Reed Smith Band.
When Smith tried selling a guitar to Carlos Santana at the Cap Centre in 1976, Santana asked Smith to play with him.
Smith opened The Guitar Shop on West Street in downtown Annapolis in 1985.
Smith moved his operation to Virginia Avenue in Annapolis in 1985, and PRS Guitars was born. The company is currently located on Kent Island in Stevensville, Maryland.
PRS Guitars have been used professionally by Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page, Dave Matthews, Dave Navarro, Ricky Skaggs and others. Click here for a picture of Carlos Santana playing a PRS Guitar.
PRS Guitars hired former Gibson Guitar Corp president Ted McCarty as a consultant. McCarty designed the Gibson Les Paul with Les Paul.
The giant guitar on the Hard Rock Cafe in Baltimore's Inner Harbor is a replica of the PRS Guitar McCarty model - named for Ted McCarty.
Inlaid birds are used as fret markers on PRS guitar fingerboards.
Gibson Guitar Corp sued PRS Guitars for patent infringement in 2001 claiming that the PRS Singlecut guitar too closely resembled the Gibson Les Paul. Gibson lost.
Two PRS guitar models were included in the Guitar Hero video game in 2009.
Smith plays with The Paul Reed Smith Band (see video below).

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Paul Reed Smith

From left to right: Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney (vocals), Chuck Harding (vocals), Paul Reed Smith (guitar)

Roger Chamberlain

Chuck Harding

Scott Burgett

Rick Breza (drums)

Chuck Harding

Bernadette "Bunny" Sweeney

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

The Paul Reed Smith Band playing at the 30th Annual Guitar Show in Dallas in 2007.

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Dave Ross Ice Cream Party, Summer, 1974

2011-02-20T08:45:00.002-05:00

Former Maryland House of Delegates member Dave Ross held an annual ice cream party every summer at his house on Whitehall Drive in Bowie. The parties were so large that they spilled over into the neighbors' yards and houses.

Below are pictures from the 1974 ice cream party. Click here to see a full set of pictures from the party on Facebook. Feel free to tag anyone you recognize.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

The Ross' backyard in the Whitehall section during the party.

U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (center) chats with Prince George's County Councilman Frank Francois (right).

Mikulski was a Baltimore City Council Member when this picture was taken, and she was running for a U.S. Senate seat at the time. Her 1974 campaign for U.S. Senate is the only election that she's ever lost.

Francois served as a Prince George's County Commissioner before the county switched to the county council form of government. He served 10 years as a County Councilman.

Former Maryland House of Delegates member Xavier Aragona kisses Barbara Mikulski.

Prince George's County Councilman Frank Francois (left) chats with Hyattsville City Councilman (and future Maryland Governor) Parris Glendening (center). To the right of Glendening is Frances Anne Hughes, who would later marry Glendening.

From left to right: Future Maryland House of Delegates Member and Prince George's County District Court Judge Jerry Devlin, future U.S. Congresswoman Gladys Spellman, Maryland House of Delegates Member and party host Dave Ross, and Maryland House of Delegates candidate Marcia Krasnick. All four people in this picture were running for office in 1974. Krasnick would be the only one who wouldn't win.

Bowie was in Maryland District 24 in 1974, and District 24 had three House of Delegate positions. In the 1974 election, Leo Green running as an independent would receive the most votes, Jerry Devlin would receive the second most, and incumbent Dave Ross came in third.

The entertainment.

Jerry Devlin and future Bowie City Councilman Walter Planet. The button reads:

Devlin, Krasnick, Ross
24th District
House of Delegates

Maryland State Senator Ed Conroy (left), Jim Dowden (center)

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Craft Show, April, 1973

2011-02-19T07:45:00.002-05:00

Craft Show, April, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Tin Can Craft. Karl Fowler. Everything you see here is made from discarded tin cans.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

First Maryland Savings and Loan, April, 1973

2011-02-18T07:14:00.003-05:00

Silver Spring based First Maryland Savings and Loan opened a branch in or near Bowie in April, 1973. Can you identify the location? The Bowie Blade sometimes covered stories outside of Bowie, so the branch may not have been in Bowie.

There is no doubt that some customers wish this branch never opened. Depositors rushed to withdraw funds in the spring of 1985, and state regulators closed the institution by the following November. First Maryland President Julian M. Seidel was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud for his role in the institution's demise. The failure of First Maryland was one of the early signs of what later became known as the savings and loan crisis.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

One theory I have is that this is located on Route 301 (Crain Highway) in the present day location of the Old Line Bank. If that is true, that would be the Fire Station 43 - Pointer Ridge/Mitchellville in the background on the left.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Bowie High Baseball, April, 1973

2011-02-17T07:20:00.001-05:00

Bowie High Baseball, April, 1973. These pictures were taken at Bowie High School. The full set of Bowie High Baseball photos from April, 1973 is available on Facebook. The full set includes a game at Parkdale High School.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Giant and GoodYear are visible in the background.

A portion of Free State Mall is visible in the background.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Borders in Bowie Rumored to be Closing

2011-02-16T12:20:00.002-05:00

The Borders Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, and the company announced that it will be closing about 30% of the chain's book stores. Although the company has not officially announced which stores will be shuttered, a document has surfaced on the Internet listing the closing stores. The Borders on Mitchellville Road is on the list. If the list is accurate, the store will be closing in "the next several weeks," according to information posted on the Borders website.

The following image was created from the document. Click the image for a better view. The entire list can be found by clicking here.

Click here to see FAQs about the Borders bankruptcy and store closings.

Miscellaneous Bowie Photos from April, 1973

2011-02-16T06:40:00.004-05:00

Miscellaneous Bowie Photos from April, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Bowie Boys and Girls Club?

Wrestling match.

These two pictures were taken in front of Bowie High School. Annapolis Road (Route 450) is on the left, and St. Matthew's United Methodist Church can be see on the right. I assume construction was taking place for the bike/walking path.

The sailboat and trailer in the picture have stickers that say "Chrysler." The signs in the background say "EXTRA CARE IN ENGINEERING... IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!" That was part of a Chrysler advertising campaign in 1973. In the bottom right hand corner you can see what looks like a shiny new car. This is a Chrysler showroom, but I'm not sure why the picture was taken. Chrysler was in the boat business until the company dropped the product line as part of the 1980 bailout.

A combination square dance and craft show?

These pictures appear to show new equipment at the Bowie Wastewater Service and the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Flying Kites at Allen Pond, April, 1973

2011-02-15T06:10:00.002-05:00

Flying Kites at Allen Pond, April, 1973

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Easter Egg Hunt in Bowie, April, 1973

2011-02-14T07:20:00.005-05:00

These April, 1973 pictures from an Easter egg hunt and related activities were probably taken at the Bowie Community Center on Stonybrook Drive.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Lorenzano sisters on the left? Wally Kircher at 5 years old on the right. He is holding a prize for coming in first in a contest.

The following pictures were taken in a local store around Easter.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

Carnival in Bowie, Summer, 1973

2011-02-13T00:22:00.008-05:00

Carnival in Bowie, Summer, 1973. I believe that this carnival took place in the parking lot of the Free State Mall.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts